The Walk-Off Sports Report

The race to the Southern League Playoffs is picking up speed during the first complete week of the month of August. The Montgomery Biscuits continue to hold down the fort in the North Division while the Biloxi Shuckers continue to hold off the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in the South Division. All eight teams in the league, who didn't win the first half, are still in the picture but some teams hopes are inching closer and closer to being diminished. Chattanooga and Tennessee both are the closest with their elimination numbers at eight while Mobile's elimination number sits at 10. Should Montgomery and Biloxi sweep the season, the wild card race will be interesting to watch pan out as we enter the home stretch towards the playoffs. Here is the first edition of the Friday Night Southern League Playoff Watch of the 2019 Southern League season. North Division - Montgomery Continues Strong Hold The Montgomery Biscuits claimed the victory over the Birmingham Barons Friday Night i

Per the Southern League attendance numbers, the Birmingham Barons had the highest attendance of the Southern League first half. The Barons had an attendance total of 200,196 during the first half of the season while the South Division Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp came in second with 165,895. The Barons finished the first half in fifth in the North Division while Jacksonville finished fourth in the South Division. The Mobile BayBears, who will be relocating to Madison, Alabama at the end of the season had the lowest attendance in the Southern League. Mobile had an attendance total of 35,102 averaging out to 1,300. The Jackson Generals, who are the defending Southern League Champions, held the second worst attendance at 55,713 (1,741 average). The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (148,060), Tennessee Smokies (118,713), and the North Division First Half Champion Montgomery Biscuits (116,902) rounded out the top five attendance totals in the first half. Attendance Totals Through the First Half

On Thursday (April 4th), the Mobile BayBears kick off their final season in Mobile, Alabama. The team will relocate to Madison, Alabama after this season and the BayBears are looking to finish in walk-off style. The BayBears have an opportunity in 2019 to tie the Montgomery Biscuits with four Southern League titles. The organization is currently fourth on the all-time SLCS victories. One last season at Hank Aaron Stadium, is this the year they walk-off with their fifth Southern League championship? In 2018, the Mobile BayBears were hiding in the bushes during the 2018 Walk-Off Sports Report Southern League Playoff Watch but the organization was eliminated from playoff contention rather early in the campaign. The organization finished 66-70, fourth in the South Division. The BayBears were second in runs scored per game and runs batted in during the 2018 season but the rest of the batting statistics were pretty low. Things just didn't add up for the organization and in 2019 they

The Montgomery Biscuits kick off their 2019 season on Thursday Night (April 4th) at AT&T Field in Chattanooga, Tennessee against the Chattanooga Lookouts. The Biscuits pushed it to the limit last season making it a 3-2 record in the 2018 Southern League North Division Championship Series against the eventual Southern League Championship winning Jackson Generals. This season, the Biscuits have one last chance at making history by winning the Southern League Championship representing both the North and South Division (in separate playoffs). Since the North/South era began in 2005, no team has ever represented both North and South Divisions in separate playoffs. Montgomery joins the Birmingham Barons as teams who have 50% of the equation complete. The Birmingham Barons have earned playoff berths by winning regular season halves in 2005, 2008, 2009, and 2011 but the team has never sealed the deal of a Southern League South Division Championship. In 2006, Montgomery kicked off their

Smartop/Bullfrog Spas/MotoConcepts Honda rider Justin Brayton will join the long list of riders out with injury starting this weekend at Houston. Brayton was involved in the same accident that injured Joe Gibbs Racing Supercross rider, Chad Reed. Per the team statement, Brayton suffered a torn MCL and strained ACL and will be out two to six weeks. Brayton noted on his Instagram  that he is shooting to return in round 16 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. In the 12 rounds so far this season, Brayton has failed to earn a podium finish. His last podium came in 2018 (round 13) at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, where he finished third. Brayton has two Heat No. 2 victories this season coming at Glendale and Minneapolis. Ben LaMay will take over on the No. 10 entry starting this weekend NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. LaMay has two victories in the 450SX LCQ this season most recently last weekend in Seattle. LaMay also earned his season-best finish of 14th during the ra

It wasn't a victory for Chad Reed in Detroit but it was a podium finish for the driver from Kurri Kurri, Australia. His first podium since Glendale in 2017 and the 132nd career podium finish. The finish is just another page in the story for Reed and 2019 has been one hell of a story so far. Reed has already earned more top 10 finishes this season then he did last season. The first top-five finish Reed earned this year already was more than he netted in 2018. Before San Diego, Reed had not finished inside the top five since Toronto in 2017. Will Christien denoted to Reed during the post-race interview that he had not been a fan of the new "Triple Crown" format but will take a third place finish. "Honestly just starts and finally riding to your ability," Reed told NBCSN. "It's been a long time. For the guy who has stood up here more than anyone in the sport, you know I take it on personally as just feeling less about myself for not getting up here and

Justin Barcia made it two for two on Saturday Night (January 5th) in Anaheim, California earning the victory in heat no. 2 and then passed Dean Wilson for his first victory since Seattle in 2013. Ken Roczen, making his return from injury, earned the victory in heat no. 1 and finished the race in second while Eli Tomac earned his first Anaheim 1 podium finishing third. Barcia picks up the first victory for Yamaha since 2012 and the manufacturers 169th victory. The 2019 Anaheim 1 450SX Main Event will be one for the ages. The conditions were getting more and more treacherous as rain continued to fall from the California sky. Many of the sports biggest names struggled while the likes of Barcia, Wilson, Malcolm Stewart, and others propelled up front. Stewart began reeling in current leader Wilson but slipped on one of the turns taking his name out of the hat. "I am really proud of myself for staying calm and collective," said Barcia. "I really wanted to get the le

Colt Nichols capitalized on muddy conditions and mistakes by many of the riders on the start to pick up his first career 250SX main event victory in Anaheim. The heat races and last chance qualifiers were contested on slightly wet dirt while the main event was just straight up mud. Nichols survived the first corner and seemed to never look back as he built a large lead over Dylan Ferrandis and Shane McElrath. Both McElrath and Ferrandis battled for the second step on the podium through the final two laps of the race. The battle between the two helped Nichols punch his ticket to the top step of the podium and the points lead as the series heads to Glendale, Arizona. The victory comes in the 23rd start of his career. Fernandis finished the race in second while Shane McElrath earned the final spot on the podium. First heat winner RJ Hampshire finished fourth while Adam Cianciarulo rounded out the top-five. "I was beyond excited," Nichols told NBCSN. "This is a really

The Monster Energy Supercross season kicks off Saturday (January 5th) in Anaheim. The number of storylines going into next Saturday's race in Anaheim is putting the anticipation at an all-time high. Jason Anderson earned his first Monster Energy Supercross Championship defeating the likes of Marvin Musquin, Eli Tomac, and others. Anderson took the points lead during round two in Houston and none of the other riders were able to mount any charge against Anderson. During the 2018 season, four different riders stood on top of the podium in 17 different events. Marvin Musquin kicked off his season with a victory at Anaheim 1 but it was the second place rider who would kick off his run for the championship, that being "El Hombre". Justin Brayton through his name in the hat by winning the DaytonaSX event, his first career victory in the 450SX. Anderson will return to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna where he will look to capture his second straight championship. The Rio Ranch